I wrote last year about the garment-sewing book Everyday Style by Lotta Jansdotter and I'm continuing to use it now and again to make various pieces of clothing. One thing I made at the end of last year is the 'Pilvi' jacket/coat and I've worn it lots of times since. It's turned out to be a…

Over the summer holiday my mother and I visited Broomfields, which is a lovely craft store specialising in needlework kits and supplies. I bought some mottled grey linen and hand dyed 'Simply Shaker' threads in the beautifully-named shades of 'crystal lake' and 'cucumber' to use during the year ahead. And I also got a special…

In the new year, we set off on a tramping (hiking) trip with friends. We try to do this together at least annually but sometimes weather and other circumstances prevent it. However this year, the sky was clear and everything fell into place. We were walking in the Cobb Valley of Kahurangi National Park, which is one…

Hello! Happy new year to you, dear ones. I've been away on a family holiday in the South Island, spending lots of time with family and friends. It's been pretty amazing actually: days of warmth and sunshine, sea swimming and beach walking. We we went tramping up to the top of a mountain and slept…